Ars Nova News

"MOLLY POPE, OKAY?" presents the critically-acclaimed neo-retro cabarettist in an intimate evening with you and the music. She plays it fast and loose with a new set list of eclectic songs and madcap antics. Juxtaposing the heyday of mid-century New York City nightlife with a downtown modern sensibility, she tackles material spanning the 20th century with her signature old-school style. She is joined on piano by the brilliant Brian J. Nash. Okay?

Main Street Theater closes its 38th MainStage season with Molly Smith Metzler's Close Up Space, a comical and poignant new play about how hard it can be to communicate… in any language. With previews May 18, 19, and 22, Close Up Space opens May 23 and runs through June 16 at Main Street Theater – Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd.

This week's feature is 'Seeing You There' by Adam Gwon. Tony-nominee Josh Young (Jesus Christ Superstar), who happens to be a co-founder of Cutting-Edge Composers, sang this at our first concert at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Tim Drucker (writer - Fat Camp, Spider Musical) and Tracy Weiler (actress - theatre: Fat Camp; film: Fugly with John Leguizamo) wrote a pilot called Hot Fail. The half-hour comedy stars Noah Weisberg (theatre: Elf, South Pacific, Legally Blonde; TV- The New Normal, Modern Family) and many other theater-related actors. More cast members will be announced through video updates on Hot Fail's website over the coming days. In the meantime, get a preview of Hot Fail below!

Articulate Theatre Company has announced the NYC premiere production of Jenny Connell Davis' DRAGON, directed by Cat Parker. DRAGON will play a limited engagement as part of the 4th Annual Planet Connection Theatre Festivity at the Robert Moss Theatre (440 Lafayette St., 3rd Floor). Performances begin Wednesday, May 29 and continue through Monday, June 17.

Partly Cloudy People has announced its production of Kim Rosenstock's Tigers Be Still, directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh. Tigers Be Still will play a three-week limited engagement at the DRILLING COMPANY THEATER (236 West 78 Street, Floor 3). Performances begin Thursday, May 9 and continue through Saturday, May 25. Opening night is May 9 (8 pm).

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the epic musical LES MISERABLES. Due to popular demand, the production's run has been extended by two weeks. Performances take place tonight, May 3 through June 1, 2013.

In an inspired tour de force, award-winning performer Maria McConville will be performing her new solo show 'Baby Matters' while 8 MONTHS PREGNANT. The limited engagement at Shetler Studios & Theatres this May will be directed by Morgan Gould and presented by Good Company.

Jonathan Whitton (Bistro & MAC Award Winner, HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH) continues his critically lauded concert residency with guitarist Aaron Jones at Don't Tell Mama. BLACK SHEEP CARNIVAL will play once a month through 2013 with initial dates scheduled for Friday, May 3 & June 7 @ 7:30PM and Monday, July 8 & August 5 @ 7:30PM. Tickets are $10 plus a two-drink minimum.

Born and abandoned in the bathroom of a fast food restaurant, Bob travels across America determined to become a 'great' man. The Echo Theater Company presents the Los Angeles premiere of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's hilarious, award-winning comedy, BOB: A Life in Five Acts. Echo artistic director Chris Fieldshelms the limited 4-week run, June 8 through June 30 at Atwater Village Theatre.

Producers Howard and Janet Kagan present the first preview of Dave Malloy's groundbreaking electropop opera NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 tonight, Wednesday, May 1st at Kazino (West 13th Street and Washington Street).

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed comedy/variety show - will conclude its Spring 2013 season on Thursday, May 16 at The Duplex in New York's West Village. After a sell-out year, The Meeting* has added a second performance each month due to popular demand; there are now shows at 7:000 PM and 9:30 PM.

Emerging from a field of 1,200 applicants, 43 projects received more than $2 million today as winners of the 2013 Knight Arts Challenge.

For the sixth installment of the Duct Tape and A Dream Festival, collaborative new works company Roots and Wings will showcase eight fresh premiers divided between two programs running in repertory May 15th-19th, 2013: A "Duct Tape" Program and a "Dream" Program. Both nightly programs are anchored by one longer piece and feature three shorter new works. The festival is truly eclectic including dance, clowning, devised theatre, a multi-media show, and new plays exploring a variety of subjects all written by emerging artists. The programs will play in rotation at the Bridge Theatre @ Shetler Studios, 244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor.

The spectacularly naughty musical parody MOCK YOUR WORLD is coming to New York's sizzling new bi-level comedy club and restaurant, The Stand. Beginning a seven-week run of hilarity and fun today, April 25th, the show satirizes the absurdity of our daily lives through witty songs and a naughty sense of humor.

The Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis announces the Indiana Premiere of the newest play by Amy Herzog, 4000 Miles in the Frank and Katrina Basile Theatre. Opening Thursday, May 9, and running through Sunday, June 9, 2013, the play is a skillful joining of loose ends. The dangling threads in this case are Leo, a scruffy cyclist trying to find his bearings after a cross-country road trip, and Vera, a crotchety lefty teetering on the brink of infirmity in a rent-controlled apartment in Greenwich Village. In the end, Leo and Vera endear themselves to the audience in much the same way that they grow on each other.

American writer and performer Peter Michael Marino performs his hit solo show Desperately Seeking The Exit - a comedic autopsy about his flop West End show Desperately Seeking Susan - The Musical, at Komedia Studio, Brighton on 7 and 14 May 2013, as part of this year's Brighton Fringe.